JAYAVARMAN VII

Jayavarman VII
(c. 1120/25 —c. 1215/19)

King of the Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire reached the height of it's glory under the rulership of Jayavarman VII. In his late fifties he led his people in a struggle for independence after their subjugation by the Cham. He was crowned king of a reconstituted Khmer empire at 61. He ruled more than 30 years and brought the empire to its zenith in terms both of territorial extent and of royal architecture and construction. Champa, southern Laos, and portions of the Malay Peninsula and Myanmar (Burma) came under his control. He built temples, hospitals, and rest houses, and rebuilt the city of Angkor (now called Angkor Thom). His dedication to both the spiritual and physical needs of the people has made him a national hero to modern Cambodians.

Most statues show his features to be a blend of both his and Buddha, always seen meditating yet radiating charasmatic power.